New Delhi: India has rejected Pakistan’s allegations that New Delhi is behind the ethnic violence raging in the neighbouring country, saying it should look inwards instead of shifting blame for its own problems and that the world knows where the epicentre of global terrorism lies.

In response to media queries on the remarks made by the Pakistan side, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Friday that India strongly rejects the allegations as baseless.

“We strongly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan. The whole world knows where the epicenter of global terrorism lies. Pakistan should look inwards instead of pointing fingers and shifting the blame for its own internal problems and failures onto others,” said MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a statement.

India has snubbed Pakistan after it hinted at India’s role in fomenting trouble in the restive Balochistan region.

The government’s response came after a senior Pakistani official accused India of “sponsoring terrorism” and trying to destabilise its neighbouring countries.

The accusation came after the hijacking of the Jaffar Express by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) during its journey from Quetta to Peshawar. The siege lasted about 30 hours, and 21 hostages and four security personnel were killed.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said the train attack was orchestrated from abroad but did not directly implicate India. He said the rebels were in contact with their handlers based in Afghanistan throughout the train siege.

When asked if Pakistan had changed its policy from blaming India in the past for BLA activity, he said its accusations against India hold even today. “There is no shift in our policy. And again, the facts have not changed…India is involved in sponsoring terrorism against Pakistan. What I was referring to was, in this particular incident, we have evidence of calls being traced to Afghanistan,” said the Pakistani official addressing media.

IANS

New Delhi: A set of six properties,  including some considered serially, such as Ashokan Edict Sites and Chausath Yogini Temples spread across multiple states — have been added to India’s tentative list by the UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre.

These sites were added to the list March 7, the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO said in a statement.

India at UNESCO shared the statement on the microblogging site X late Thursday.

Addition to the World Heritage Centre’s tentative list is mandatory if a property is to be nominated for inscription to the World Heritage List in future, it said.

The six properties added to the tentative list include Kanger Valley National Park in Chhattisgarh; Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs in Telangana; serial nomination of Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes (multiple states); serial nomination of Chausath Yogini Temples (multiple states); serial nomination of Gupta Temples in north India (multiple states), and the palace-fortresses of the Bundelas in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the statement said.

With these additions, India now has 62 sites on the tentative list.

The ‘tentative list’ is an inventory of properties each country intends to consider for UNESCO nomination.

According to the UNESCO website, the Chausath Yogini Temples considered serially includes sites at multiple locations in the country.

“The Chausath Yogini Temples have 64 images of Yoginis in their shrines with intricate stone carvings circularly arranged. These temples are mostly situated on hilltops. ‘Yogini’ refers to a female practitioner of yoga, and ‘chausath’ is the Hindi word for the number 64. The Yoginis are 64 in number and hence called the Chausath Yogini. They are a group of forest spirits and mother goddesses,” reads a description on the UNESCO website.

“It is this embodiment of both alluring and threatening qualities, as well as the large number of goddesses from the group that identifies them as Yoginis,” it reads.

At present, a total of 43 properties from India are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including 35 in the ‘Cultural’ category, seven in the ‘Natural’ and one in the ‘Mixed’ category.

India hosted a World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time in 2024, during which the Moidams- the mound-burial system of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam- was accorded the coveted UNESCO tag.

PTI

Singapore: A 29-year-old injured Indian national is in a stable condition and has been discharged from a Singapore hospital following an incident of illegal boarding by unknown suspects of a chemical tanker in the Singapore Strait, a media report said Friday.

Officers from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) boarded the vessel February 28 at 8.20 am and saw a crew member lying on the ship’s main deck, bleeding from his right eye.

Seeing that his injuries were serious, PCG Inspector Muhammad Rasidi Suriade told two of his officers to stay with the injured man, while the remaining four officers turned their attention to finding the suspects on board the ship.

“Someone was injured, and his life could have been on the line. We had to clear the main deck as fast as possible, so he could be evacuated quickly and receive medical help,” The Straits Times quoted Inspector Rasidi as recalling the incident at the Brani Base of PCG Wednesday.

Rasidi recounted the “unauthorised boarding” incident that happened in the Singapore Strait, outside Singapore territorial waters.

His team on the PCG boat rushed to the scene following a call February 28 about a Singapore-registered chemical tanker being boarded illegally by unknown suspects.

But before locating them, Rasidi said he and his team had to gather every crew member and ensure they were accounted for.

In around 20 minutes, Rasidi and his team cleared the main deck, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force attended to the casualty and evacuated him.

The inspector added, “We needed to rule out the possibility a perpetrator was posing as a crew member, or that someone else was injured on another part of the ship.”

The PCG officers verified the passports of more than 20 people, matching their faces to their identity photos.

As this happened, a PCG patrol boat stood guard beside the chemical tanker, which is the size of around five Olympic swimming pools and more than 50 times the size of the PCG patrol boat.

After two hours of sweeping the entire tanker, no perpetrators were found on board. The police said investigations are ongoing.

PTI

Kolkata: Abdul Hai, the retired assistant inspector who was earlier attached to the security control organisation of Kolkata Police and was arrested this year in connection with the fake passport racket in West Bengal, had cleared police verifications for at least 52 applications for fake passports reportedly against payment of cash.

The details of the involvement of the retired cop in the matter had been mentioned in the charge sheet filed by the cops in the matter to a lower court in Kolkata Thursday.

Sources aware of the developments said that the charge sheet also contains the details of the financial gains that Hai made through these 52 police verification clearances where he was the on-ground enquiry or verification officer.

After the arrest of Hai in January this year, the role of five other verification officers attached to different police stations also came under the scanner of the investigation officials.

However, their names are yet to figure in the charge sheet since the investigation against them is yet to be completed and might be included in any eventual supplementary charge sheet filed in the matter.

In the charge sheet, a total of 130 individuals have been named and out of this 120 are Bangladeshi residents and the remaining are Indian nationals.

The main charges against the Bangladeshi nationals are that they created fake Indian passports by furnishing forged documents and paying huge amounts of money. The charges against the accused Indian nationals are that they played the role of facilitators for arranging fake Indian identity documents including Indian passports for these illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.

The cops investigating the fake Indian identity document rackets have identified a specific pattern in the operations of such rackets in this particular crime.

Any infiltrator illegally crossing over into the Indian territory, contacting the local agents, and showing willingness to pay hefty amounts for getting fake Indian identity documents was first provided with safe shelters at the different villages adjacent to the borders with Bangladesh in the state, both land and coastal.

Thereafter, the agents arrange for fake ration cards for them, which is the first step for making other identity documents. By the fake ration cards, other identification documents like EPIC, PAN, and AADHAAR cards are acquired. The last step is getting the fake passports based on these other fake identity documents.

IANS

Gorakhpur: No country and religion has such a rich tradition of festivals as Sanatan Dharma, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Friday on the occasion of Holi and asserted that India moves ahead through festivals.

Addressing the traditional “Narsingh Shobhayatra’ in Gorakhpur, he stressed that Holi gives out the message of maintaining an “Akhand” (intact) country through unity. “The vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’ will be fulfilled,” he stressed.

“No country in the world, no caste, no religion has such a rich tradition of festivals as Sanatan Dharma. We have faith in Sanatan Dharma, and faith is the soul of festivals. India moves ahead through festivals.” Adityanath said.

“You have seen that those who oppose Sanatan Dharma have seen the ability (‘saamarth’) of Sanatan Dharma as well as that of India through the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Over 66 crore devotees came together and got blessings in the mega bathing rituals at Sangam. There was no discrimination based on caste or region,” the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

Before the procession, Adityanath was seen squatting on the ground with seers for Holi celebrations. He also showered flowers on people taking part in the procession.

PTI

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed a dramatic start to the budget session as the opposition AIADMK staged a walkout while the BJP boycotted the proceedings.

AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), accused the ruling DMK government of failing to take responsibility for a liquor scam that allegedly involved corruption worth over Rs 1,000 crore.

Speaking to the media outside the Assembly, EPS demanded the resignation of the DMK government, citing moral responsibility over the scam.

He criticised the government for its lack of transparency, stating that despite an ongoing investigation, no substantial action had been taken.

EPS also claimed that the opposition had submitted a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, but it was ignored and not taken up for discussion.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and Coimbatore MLA Vanathi Srinivasan addressed reporters outside the Assembly, explaining the party’s decision to boycott the session. She accused the Tamil Nadu government of insulting the Constitution by removing the Devanagari rupee symbol from the state budget logo and replacing it with the Tamil rupee symbol.

She argued that while the Tamil rupee symbol is commonly used in private and personal writings, the official removal of the nationally accepted rupee symbol was a deliberate move.

According to her, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his cabinet had taken an oath under the Constitution, yet their actions undermined constitutional principles.

Vanathi Srinivasan also accused the DMK government of diverting public attention from real issues, such as the Rs 1,000 crore liquor scam that was flagged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

She alleged that instead of addressing corruption, the government was engaging in symbolic changes to shift focus.

The presentation of this year’s budget has been overshadowed by controversy following Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s decision to remove the Indian rupee symbol (₹) from the state budget’s official logo. Instead, the Tamil alphabet ‘Roo’ (‘ரூ’) has been used to represent ‘Roobai,’ the Tamil word for rupee.

Thursday (March 13), CM Stalin unveiled the promotional logo for the budget, featuring the new symbol along with the slogan “Ellarkum Ellam” (Everything for Everyone), emphasising inclusiveness. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders and Union Ministers, who have accused the DMK government of promoting linguistic and regional chauvinism.

The Tamil Nadu budget session commenced with Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu presenting the budget. However, the AIADMK’s walkout and the BJP’s boycott signal a stormy and contentious session ahead.

IANS

Guwahati: Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive in Assam’s Jorhat on Friday night on a three-day visit to the Northeast, officials said.

After arriving in Jorhat, Shah will travel to the nearby town of Dergaon in the Golaghat district. He will stay the night at the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Deragaon, they said.

Saturday morning, he will inaugurate the upgraded police academy, the first phase of which was completed at Rs 167.4 crore.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the second phase of the works at Rs 425.48 crore.

Shah will then leave for Mizoram, where he will attend a function to mark the moving of the Assam Rifles establishment from Aizawl to Zokhawsang, around 15 km from the state capital.

Shah will return to Guwahati in the evening and stay the night at the state guest house in Koinadhora.

Sunday morning, he will go to Dotma in Assam’s Kokrajhar district to address the 57th Annual Conference of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU).

ABSU was a signatory to the historic Bodo Peace Accord five years ago, and the home minister will address the open session where Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) chief Pramod Boro, senior ministers and MPs will be present.

Shah will return to Guwahati in the afternoon and review the progress of the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in the Northeast with the chief ministers of the eight states of the region.

A presentation by each state will be given on the progress made in the implementation of the BNS so far.

He will leave for New Delhi Sunday night, officials said.

PTI

Kochi: Former Congress legislator Anil Akkara, who played a key role in exposing the Rs 324-crore Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam, has claimed that if the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe proceeds in the right direction in this case, top CPI-M leaders will be named as accused in the final charge sheet.

Akkara’s remarks come in response to news that the ED has summoned Alathur Lok Sabha MP K. Radhakrishnan for questioning.

He alleged that Radhakrishnan, along with former minister and current CPI-M legislator A.C. Moideen and former Thrissur CPI-M district secretary M.M. Varghese, would be named as accused if the investigation is conducted thoroughly.

“So far, these leaders have been shielded due to a secret deal struck during the 2024 Thrissur Lok Sabha election. However, the ED has already recovered Rs 60 lakh from CPI-M party bank accounts and Rs 40 lakh from Moideen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This scam occurred during their tenure as Thrissur district CPI-M secretaries,” Akkara said.

The ED’s latest notice to Radhakrishnan comes after a gap of more than six months in the investigation. Radhakrishnan, a former two-time state minister and ex-Speaker, is a prominent CPI-M leader from Thrissur. The notice has put the ruling party on the defensive as it prepares for the 24th Party Congress in Madurai this April.

Radhakrishnan, a member of the CPI-M Central Committee, was served the notice upon his recent arrival in Thrissur. The party is reportedly seeking to delay his appearance, citing the ongoing Parliament session.

This is the first time Radhakrishnan has been summoned since the scam surfaced, sending shockwaves through the party. The ED has already questioned several senior CPI-M leaders, including Moideen, former Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju, former CPI-M legislator M.K. Kannan, and M.M. Varghese.

Several local CPI-M leaders and employees of the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank were arrested and jailed in connection with the scam, although many have since secured bail.

The Thrissur Lok Sabha seat holds particular significance as it was the only constituency in Kerala where the BJP emerged victorious in 2024, with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi clinching the win.

IANS

Imphal: Four militants of different Imphal Valley-based proscribed outfits were arrested in separate operations, police said Friday.

A member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was arrested from her house in Sagolband Sayang Kurao Makhong in Imphal West district Thursday. She was identified as Thokchom Ongbi Anita Devi (46), they said.

Among the items recovered from her were a pistol with a magazine, 33 live rounds, five SIM cards, and six mobile phones, they added.

A member of the proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF-K) was arrested near the India-Myanmar border in the Tenugopal district. He was identified as Moirangtham Ricky Singh (22) of Khurai Chairenthong in the Imphal East district.

An active cadre of the banned PREPAK, involved in extorting local businesses, was arrested from Sekmaijin Ningolkhong in the Kakching district.

He was identified as Laishram Bishorjit Meitei (33).

Another man was arrested for extorting money from vehicles transporting timber, police said.

Yumnam Premjit Meitei (54) was arrested from a furniture shop at Kakwa in the Imphal West district. He was associated with the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (Apunba).

PTI

New Delhi: Facing graft allegations, IIM-Rohtak director is set to be either suspended or sent on leave by the institution’s board following directions from the government.

The director, sources said, has also been asked to stay away from the IIM campus or rented area of IIM Rohtak until further orders.

The Union Ministry of Education Thursday asked the Board of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak, to either suspend institute Director Dheeraj Sharma or send him on leave till the completion of probe against him over alleged misappropriation of funds.

The allegations against Sharma include wrongfully inflating the financial health of IIM Rohtak and using such manipulated figures to pay a huge amount of variable pay (more than Rs one crore for each year) to the director of IIM Rohtak from 2018-19 onwards.

President Droupadi Murmu had earlier this month ordered an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak during the tenure of Sharma as director of the institute.

The inquiry will also include the verification of the educational qualification certificates of Sharma and other staff recruited at IIM.

The probe against Sharma was launched following an inquiry conducted by the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Education, which found serious irregularities and grave misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak.

The Ministry also noted that Sharma’s degree certificate was sought by the ministry repeatedly during his first term as director of IIM Rohtak from 2017 to 2022 but was not sent by IIM Rohtak until the end of his tenure.

The Centre has also asked the Board to hand over the charge of IIM Rohtak to another faculty member who has not been associated with the financial matters of the institute.

“A formal letter in this regard has been sent to Jai Dev Shroff, Chairman of the Board, IIM Rohtak. The Ministry has also asked the IIM Board to cancel the proposal given for the renomination of Neeraj Kansal as a member of the Board of IIM Rohtak, as per the agenda circulated for the 63rd meeting proposed to be held March 17,” a source said.

“The inquiry will be conducted by Professor Manoj Tiwari, Director of IIM Mumbai, as the inquiry officer. He has been asked to complete the probe within three months,” the sources added.

PTI

Chennai: The TVK, founded by Tamil superstar Vijay, is set to convene its general council meeting in Chennai March 28.

According to party sources, up to 23 resolutions are expected to be passed, many of which will strongly criticize the policies of both the BJP-led Central government and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu.

Vijay has recently become more vocal in his opposition to these parties, and the upcoming meeting is expected to escalate his criticism further. His shift in tone was evident in a video message released on Women’s Day, where he openly criticized the DMK government for the first time- a significant departure from his previous strategy of avoiding direct references to political parties. This change in approach has been well received within the party ranks, and Vijay is now expected to intensify his attacks on both the DMK and the BJP in his address at the general council meeting.

Apart from the general council meeting, TVK is also preparing to hold a booth committee conference soon as part of its broader political strategy.

Vijay officially launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) February 2, 2024, positioning it as a movement against corruption and divisive politics. While he chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he has confirmed that TVK will compete in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

August 22, 2024, Vijay unveiled the party’s flag and song at TVK’s headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai. This was followed by the party’s inaugural political conference on October 27, 2024, in Vikravandi, Villupuram district. The event saw an estimated turnout of three lakh people, leading to significant traffic congestion in Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam, forcing authorities to divert vehicles on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway.

During the Vikravandi conference, Vijay took a strong stance against both the DMK and the BJP. He labelled the BJP as his ideological adversary and the DMK as his political adversary. He accused the DMK of being a family-run party that exploits the Dravidian identity for personal gain while condemning the BJP for its divisive politics.

In response, the DMK dismissed Vijay’s criticism, alleging that he was indirectly supporting the BJP, calling TVK the “C team” of the saffron party.

Vijay’s influence in Tamil Nadu politics has been growing steadily, particularly after his fan club, All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), secured 115 out of the 169 seats it contested in the 2021 Tamil Nadu local body elections. This was in stark contrast to Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), both of which failed to secure any seats.

Vijay has also made it clear that TVK will align only with parties that recognize his leadership. Political analysts view this stance as a clear indication that he is positioning himself as a serious contender for the Chief Minister’s post in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

IANS

New Delhi: The Delhi Police said Thursday that they have arrested two men for allegedly raping and molesting a British woman at a hotel in Mahipalpur in southwest Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area.

Following the arrests, the police intimated the British High Commission about the incident, which took place on the night of March 11.

The woman travelled to India a month ago and stayed in Maharashtra for some time before visiting Goa.

She came to Delhi March 11 to meet Kailash, 24, whom she met on Instagram recently, said the police official.

The woman’s “friend” and his acquaintance have been arrested for rape and molestation, police said Thursday.

The incident took place Tuesday night after the victim and her friend Kailash, 25, an unemployed man, had dinner and drinks, the police said.

Kailash, a resident of Vasundhara-Mayur Vihar, has been charged with rape and his friend Wasim, a housekeeper, was booked for molestation, the police said.

Kailash has studied till Class-XII and cannot speak English, police said, adding that he managed to impress the British national on social media using Google Translate.

“Kailash used to speak in Hindi on Google translate and later read out the English version to the British woman,” said an official

The incident came to light when the woman went to a hospital and underwent a medical checkup Wednesday morning, the police said, adding that the hospital staff informed the Vasant Kunj North police station about the sexual assault.

The two accused, who have now been sent to remand, were arrested Wednesday noon, a police official said.

The woman, who came to India March 7 for a vacation in Maharashtra and Goa, telephoned Kailash and asked him to join her there, police said.

Kailash expressed his inability to join her in Mumbai and invited her to Delhi. She later visited the national capital March 11, and checked into a hotel in Mahipalpur.

After reaching the hotel, the woman called up Kailash and asked him to meet her. The accused allegedly came to the hotel along with Wasim and committed the sexual assault Tuesday.

The police said when Kailash was trying to assault her, she objected and raised an alarm, after which he called in Wasim to intervene.

During the investigation, the police recovered social media chats between Kailash and the victim.

An official said the woman was not even aware of Kailash’s profile.

IANS

New Delhi: DMK-led Tamil Nadu government move to replace the rupee symbol signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Thursday.

Launching a scathing attack on DMK, she said the party should have protested when the rupee symbol was adopted by the UPA in 2010. DMK was part of the ruling UPA alliance at the Centre.

“Ironically, rupee symbol was designed by D Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam. By erasing it now, the DMK is not only rejecting a national symbol but also utterly disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth,” she said.

The attack comes on the day when DMK government has reportedly removed the official Rupee symbol ‘?’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents, which will be presented Friday.

The logo for the budget, released by the government Thursday, carried ‘ru, ‘ the first letter of the Tamil word ‘Rubaai, ‘ which denotes the Indian currency in the vernacular language. The logo also had the caption “everything for all,” indicating what the ruling DMK claims is its inclusive governance model.

“This is more than mere symbolism – it signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride. A completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism,” Sitharaman said in a tweet.

All elected representatives and authorities are sworn under the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our nation, she said, adding removing a national symbol from the State Budget documents goes against that very oath, weakening the commitment to national unity.

Sharing historical perspective, the finance minister said, the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ itself has deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a worked silver coin.’

This term has resonated across centuries in Tamil trade and literature, and even today, ‘Rupaai’ remains the currency name in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, she said.

In fact, she said, several countries, including Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, officially use ‘Rupee’ or its ‘equivalent/derivatives’ as their currency name.

“Rupee symbol is internationally well-recognized and serves as a visible identity of India in global financial transactions. At a time when India is pushing for cross-border payments using UPI, should we really be undermining our own national currency symbol?” she wondered.

PTI

New Delhi: CBSE Class 12 students unable to appear in the Hindi exam scheduled March 15 on account of Holi will get another opportunity to write the paper, the board announced Thursday.

“It has been informed to CBSE that, though the festival of Holi would be celebrated March 14 in most parts of the country, in few places, either the celebrations would take place March 15 or celebrations would spill over to March 15,” CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.

He said that after the feedback, it has been decided that while the examination would be held as per schedule, the students who find it difficult to appear February 15 may choose to write the paper on a later date.

“It has been decided that such students would be allowed to appear along with those students for whom a special examination is conducted as per the policy of the board for students participating in national or international sports events,” he added.

PTI

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha witnessed noisy scenes during Question Hour Thursday, with the opposition BJP members leaving the House accusing the Congress government of not replying to their queries on funds released by a cooperative bank.

The BJP members were agitated after Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that “information is being collected” while replying to a question by Ashish Sharma of the BJP on the disbursement of funds by the Kangra Central Cooperative Bank to the Mahila Mandals under the Dehra Assembly constituency in June and July last year.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the reply, Sharma said getting information in a digital era was not difficult, claiming that he had information that Rs 50,000 was released to many Mahila Mandals between June 1 and July 10, 2024, by the bank.

Sharma also asked whether the money was disbursed during the code of conduct period, saying if it was, central agencies should conduct a probe into the matter.

Joining the debate, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur accused the state government of trying to conceal information, claiming that the model code of conduct was in force when the money was disbursed by the bank.

Thakur also wondered if the grants were released only to the Mahila Mandals in Dehra, or in other places as well, as he asked whether the government would provide information on the matter during the current session of the Assembly.

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, who earlier asked Sharma to place the information he claimed to have collected before the House for the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat to investigate it, termed the action of the BJP members to leave the House unwarranted and against the rules.

Agnihotri, meanwhile, asked Sharma why he was asking for the information (on funds disbursement) if he already had it with him.

“When we were in the opposition, we also did not get replies to many questions,” Agnihotri said, as he termed the action of the BJP members to leave the House pre-planned since it did not have any solid issue against the government.

Agnihotri also pointed out that before the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released the first instalment of funds under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi to farmers.

To this, Bikram Thakur of the BJP said that releasing funds under the Kisan Samman Nidhi and depositing money into the accounts of Mahila Mandals during elections were two different issues, accusing the government of drawing the wrong parallels to avoid answering the opposition’s questions.

PTI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday congratulated ISRO for the successful de-docking of the SpaDeX satellites, saying the country’s scientists had proven yet again that even the sky was not the limit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it accomplished de-docking of the SpaDeX satellites, clearing the way for future missions such as exploring the moon, human spaceflight and building its space station.

Bharat's giant stride in space.

Congratulations to Team @isro on the successful accomplishment of the de-docking of the #SPADEX satellites in space. It is a proud moment for us that will accelerate PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision to build our own space station, Chandrayaan 4…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 13, 2025

“Bharat’s giant stride in space. Congratulations to Team ISRO on the successful accomplishment of the de-docking of the SpaDeX satellites in space. It is a proud moment for us that will accelerate Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision to build our space station, Chandrayaan 4 and Gaganyaan. Our scientists have proven yet again that even the sky is not our limit,” Shah said in a post on X.

PTI

New Delhi: The CBI has launched a probe into the alleged role of public servants in facilitating gold smuggling from Dubai following a complaint by the DRI, which recently made two arrests, including that of actor Rabya Rao from Bengaluru, officials said Thursday.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Ranya Rao from the Kempe Gowda International Airport in Bengaluru March 3 for allegedly trying to smuggle over 14 kg of gold from Dubai.

The action was followed by the arrests of two foreigners (Omani and UAE nationals), also coming from Dubai, from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, while attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India valued at Rs 18.92 crore March 6.

“These two foreign nationals previously arrived at the Mumbai airport multiple times,” the DRI complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said.

Searches at Rao’s residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. She also made multiple international travels, including to and from Dubai, officials said.

These arrests in “quick succession” involving alleged smugglers with large quantities of gold coming from Dubai and the high frequency of these visits involving Indian and foreign nationals sent the alarm bells ringing about a “coordinated smuggling syndicate”, possibly operating from Dubai, the officials said.

The DRI roped in the CBI because of the larger national and international ramifications.

“The possibility of the involvement of unknown public servants of the government of India and unknown others, with such coordinated network, needs to be investigated,” the DRI said.

Following the letter from the DRI, the CBI swung into action and registered an FIR against unidentified public servants and private individuals.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a case of money laundering against Rao and conducted searches.

PTI

Jaipur: In a major anti-smuggling operation, the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a packet of heroin worth approximately Rs 5 crore near the India-Pakistan border in the Gajsinghpur police station area of Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district.

The heroin was allegedly dropped by Pakistani smugglers using a drone.

The operation was launched late Wednesday night after local villagers spotted a drone flying in from Pakistan and promptly alerted security agencies.

Acting on the tip-off, a joint team comprising BSF G Branch Officer Devi Lal and CID Officer Hanuman Singh conducted a search operation and located the packet about 2.5 kilometers inside Indian territory. By morning, Gajsinghpur police reached the site and took possession of the packet.

The joint teams of BSF and CID initiated a thorough search operation from 6 a.m. Thursday. After scouring the barley fields, they recovered a suspicious packet around 10 a.m. near the 4 FD checkpoint, located close to pillar number 333/1S.

Upon inspection, it was confirmed to contain 1.116 kg of heroin. According to preliminary investigations, the heroin was likely smuggled from Pakistan via drone.

Security agencies suspect the possibility of more heroin packets being hidden in nearby fields.

The BSF, CID, and Gajsinghpur police have intensified search operations in the area, with police setting up blockades and conducting extensive patrols.

This operation marks a significant success in preventing drug smuggling attempts from across the border, highlighting the vigilance and swift action of the Border Security Force and local authorities.

Recently, in Punjab, the police uncovered a gang involved in smuggling drugs from Pakistan using drones and distributing them across the state. Three adults were arrested, and one minor was apprehended in the case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed grave concern over the rising instances of drug smuggling into India through drones from across the Pakistan border. It observed that the increasing instances of drug smuggling into India through drones from across the Pakistan border pose a grave threat to national security and public health

IANS

Chennai: Amid its spat with the Centre over the National Education Policy (NEP) and other issues, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has decided to remove the official rupee symbol from the state’s Budget 2025-26, replacing it with the Tamil script equivalent.

This marks the first time a state has rejected the national currency symbol.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu will present the 2025-26 Budget Friday.

Tamil Nadu has consistently refused to implement key aspects of NEP 2020, particularly the three-language formula. As a result, the Central government has withheld ₹573 crore in education assistance under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). According to policy guidelines, states must comply with NEP provisions to receive SSA funding, with the Centre covering 60 per cent of the allocation for states like Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recently led a statewide protest against the Union government March 11, condemning both the NEP and the proposed delimitation exercise, which he described as a threat to South India.

Addressing a public rally, Stalin said: “We oppose NEP because it will completely destroy Tamil Nadu’s education system. The policy disregards reservation, which is the foundation of social justice. It denies financial assistance to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).”

Tamil Nadu has long viewed the three-language formula as an attempt to impose Hindi. Stalin accused the Centre of using funding as leverage against states that refused to implement central policies.

“Is there a greater example of anarchy than saying, ‘If you do not adopt Hindi, we will not provide funds’?” he asked.

He reaffirmed that Tamil Nadu would continue its two-language policy (Tamil and English), which has been in place since 1968.

Criticising the Union government’s approach, Stalin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to focus on the country’s development rather than promoting Hindi. He questioned the financial investments in Sanskrit, a language he claimed had limited speakers, while Tamil, a language spoken globally, was being sidelined.

Stalin’s comments came after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the DMK of using the language issue to revive its political standing.

Pradhan called the DMK’s stance on NEP’s three-language formula “hypocritical” and a “mere political strategy”. Responding to Pradhan’s remarks, Stalin asserted that “the Tamil people do not need a lecture on democracy from him”.

IANS

Kolkata: West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee Thursday said that documents related to proceedings of the House will be provided to BJP legislators from Monday.

The direction comes two days after he asked the authorities to stop providing such documents to the BJP legislators.

The Speaker said papers would be provided to the BJP MLAs from Monday and urged them to adhere to democratic norms.

Banerjee said this when BJP chief whip Shankar Ghosh raised the issue, saying that they are unable to see the questions and answers and are not even able to keep track of the proceedings of the House.

The Speaker had given the directive Tuesday when MLAs of the saffron party tore official documents in the assembly after Banerjee turned down their proposal to adjourn the House over alleged attacks on temples in different parts of the state and staged a walkout.

Banerjee had directed the secretary of the assembly not to provide any document related to the House proceedings to the BJP legislators.

PTI